First 100 Days: Sumbul Siddiqui Takes on Third Term as Cambridge’s Mayor

Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui returned to office in January with something she had not had at the start of her previous terms: a steadier footing shaped by crisis.

The City Council unanimously voted to elect Siddiqui mayor on Jan. 5, marking her third time in the role in six years. Unlike past terms, which began with immediate crises, Siddiqui is starting this one focused on longer-term challenges, including housing, federal funding and immigration policy.

Siddiqui first took office in 2020, becoming the first Muslim mayor in Massachusetts. Within months, she was leading the city through the Covid-19 pandemic. After her reelection in 2022, Cambridge faced its first fatal officer-involved shooting in two decades just weeks later.

Now, Siddiqui said, those experiences have reshaped how she approaches the job.

“When I sometimes get stressed, I say, ‘You know, you can do this, because there have been much harder situations,’” she said.

Minjee Lee — who became Siddiqui’s chief of staff at the start of the recent term — said that track record has made Siddiqui more prepared for an unpredictable political environment.

“It’s really given her what she needs to be prepared for the unexpected. And in some ways, we’re dealing with a lot of unexpected right now, constantly,” she said.

In recent months, city officials have taken steps to limit federal immigration enforcement in Cambridge. In February, City Manager Yi-An Huang barred federal agents from conducting activity on city-owned property. Days later, the City Council moved to prevent the Cambridge Police Department from hiring anyone with prior experience in federal immigration enforcement.

At the same time, Siddiqui has focused on the internal work of governing. In her first 100 days, she has made committee assignments, trained department heads and restarted the search for a new city clerk.

She also plans to advance proposals from her previous term, including encouraging mixed-use development and expanding first-floor retail along Cambridge Street and Massachusetts Avenue.

“Really, my role as mayor is the chair of the City Council, and we are the legislative body in the city,” Siddiqui said. “So my role really is to push the legislative policy work that impacts all residents forward.”

This term also marks a shift in her responsibilities. For the first time in her mayoral career, Siddiqui is not the de facto chair of the School Committee, following a voter-approved change last fall.

David J. Weinstein, who was elected to chair the body in January, said she has adjusted well to the shift.

“She’s been a very active, very collaborative member of the committee, always looking to see if there’s a way in which her role as mayor can support our work in any different way, while not holding herself above any other member,” Weinstein said.

Siddiqui said the change has allowed her to focus more closely on policy details through her work on several subcommittees, including Buildings and Grounds, Governance, School Climate and Budget.

Outside City Hall, Siddiqui has emphasized public engagement. Since January, she has hosted a community iftar during Ramadan, organized a Women’s History Month trivia event and launched a National Poetry Month contest.

Engagement has long been a tenet of Siddiqui’s platform, according to Nuriel Vera-DeGraff ’26, who served as her 2025 campaign manager. While canvassing across the city, he said, she always made a point to keep note of residents’ concerns.

“She’s just so committed to the work of — I wouldn’t even call it campaigning — just the work of being a leader of Cambridge, and consistently showing up,” he said.

Not all of Siddiqui’s working relationships have been smooth historically. Manikka Bowman, who served with her on the School Committee, said their relationship was “a little rocky” early on before improving during the pandemic.

“What we quickly realized when Covid hit was that none of that stuff, any interpersonal dynamics, none of that stuff mattered, because there was something higher that we had to galvanize around,” Bowman said.

Bowman said the experience ultimately strengthened their working relationship and reflected Siddiqui’s ability to prioritize shared goals during moments of crisis.

“I respect my colleagues, and I know how hard it is to be in these roles, and so I just wish her well, and I’m confident in her ability to be able to lead the City of Cambridge,” Bowman said. “I know what we were able to do in the worst of times, so I’m excited to see what she can achieve in better times.”

Siddiqui has faced broader scrutiny in past terms. In 2023, The Boston Globe reported allegations from former staff members that she fostered a toxic workplace environment. Though she was reelected to the council, she was not selected as mayor that year. Siddiqui has since said the episode led her to reflect on her leadership.

Ayesha M. Wilson, who served alongside Siddiqui in the Council in the 2024-25 term, said that their relationship has had its tensions, but that it was “really an honor to be able to work alongside her.”

“There are moments that can kind of get under your skin a little bit,” Wilson said. “This is the beauty of having good working relationships with people. We don’t just see each other when we’re on the chamber floor, right? We connect with each other out of that.”

“It could be a little challenging, but I think ultimately, when you know somebody’s heart is in the right place, you work with that in mind,” Wilson said.

In addition to her role as mayor, Siddiqui is pursuing a midcareer master’s degree in public administration at the Harvard Kennedy School as a Rappaport Urban Scholar.

Kathryn Carlson, executive director of the Rappaport Institute, said Siddiqui’s ability to balance both roles stands out.

“I don’t know how she gets any sleep,” Carlson said. “Like a lot of working women, she’s juggling a lot, and she does it with energy and intelligence and engagement.”

—Staff writer Maya Fu can be reached at [email protected].

—Staff writer Risha Sinha can be reached at [email protected].